"Io Non Ho Paura" (I am Not Afraid)

Film Discussion with Robert Formento of "Ciao Asheville"

Sunday, July 28th starting 1pm @MetroWines.

Admission is "on the house" and $7 for glass of Red or White Italian Wine.

Ciao Asheville is dedicated to raising awarness about Italian Culture in Asheville. We believe that a review of some of the best regarded films will be a window into the history, attitudes and hopes of Itlay.

Robert's Film Summary:

With this next film (released in 2003) we visit Italy in the turbulent 1970s, sometimes called the “Years of Lead”. Political and ransom killings were rampant at that time. The worst of it often involved kidnapping children of wealthy families for ransom.

This movie, Io Non Ho Paura (I Am Not Afraid), is loosely based on one such kidnapping of a 10 year old boy from Milan. He is taken to a small impoverished town in the south of Italy. The village is tiny and there are only a handful of children who roam the area around them.  The story is about how he was discovered by another 10 year old boy from the local town.

This film can be described as a crime mystery thriller, but uniquely seen through the eyes of a ten year old boy. You get to observe how the boy confronts the idea that the family and neighbors whom he loves and trusts are the same people who kidnapped the boy and shackled him in a deep underground cellar. Does he decide to protect his family or protect the kidnapped boy?

Io Non Ho Paura, is based on the novel of the same name by Niccolo Ammaniti. The movie was very popular in Italy where it won several awards, but had a very limited release in America. The director, Gabriele Salvatore also directed Mediterraneo which won the Oscar for best foreign film in 1992. 

Please reserve your seat HERE!

or call (828) 575-9525. 

Staff Pick: Zach (The Manager)

Domaine de la Pepiere ‘La Pepie’ Muscadet

"I chose this wine because of it’s minerality, body weight and balance. I like white wines that have a little richness to them without tasting wood from the oak.  
This wine is made ‘sur lie’ which translates to on the lees. After fermentation the wine is aged with sediment and stirred occasionally to give the wine it’s fuller body.
It is organically farmed and hand-harvested. If you see a Muscadet on a wine list, there will most likely be shelf fish on the menu. Very versatile with lighter fare,
but classically paired with mussels, oysters and scallops."

Internet Competitive and Often Better at  $14.99

*** SHOPPING ANNOUNCEMENT ALERT ***
Because so many of you have come for a featured wine and it was out of stock
at the importer or temporarily out of stock @MetroWines, we want to give you
the opportunity to snag a bottle now! Click on link and shop!
https://metrowinesasheville.com/store/product/domaine-
de-la-pepiere-muscadet-sur-lie-2017/

** Save the Date: August 14th **



Asheville Wine Focus Group
Hosted by Michele d'Aprix (Pentimento) 
and Christopher Campbell of C and P Wines

From The MetroWines Book Review Department

With well-told stories and stunning photography, author Heather Hebert
features the architecture of 25 California wineries in her alluring new book. 

As wine tourism has increased, California vintners created splendid spaces where visitors can taste their wines and enjoy conversations. In place of imitating old-world European estates, grand architectural statements or quirky forays into bohemianism, the new architecture of wine has evolved into a celebration of California’s topography, agricultural heritage, historic architectural vernacular,
and forward-thinking passion for sustainability and design.

The 25 wineries featured in The New Architecture of Wine, all built within
the last ten years, include buildings designed by top architects Juancarlos Fernandez and Howard Backen, among others. These wineries form an authentic expression of  passion for the land and its heritage—an homage to California.

But the future is not just a new style of California architecture,
it's also a new style of California wine. A brief review of some of the new
California Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs shows that the style is shunning the ultraripe, high-octane wines to which California staked a claim.
The number of producers dedicated to "real" and terroir transparency has grown exponentially in just a few years. Even commercial wineries are scaling
back sugar ripeness and adding sugar as well as dialing down the new oak. 

Raj Parr, one of the winemakers leading the charge, says:  

"Every important wine has a strong sense of will behind it,
and every serious winery shares a desire to find a deeper knowledge
of their vineyards; to discover the beauty that lies within the balance
between the grape, soil and microclimate.

In my regular travels to the best wine regions of the world,
I have also included forays into less well-known appellations.
Tasting at both pedigreed domaines and modest cellars,
has led me to appreciate, equally, wines meant for the well-heeled cellar
as well as wines best drunk early and appreciated for their immediacy. I have discovered that what is consistent in all the wines I admire
is the importance of minimal intervention: growing healthy,
balanced grapes without the use of chemicals and making
and bottling wines without manipulation."

All that said, Your "Read it With Wine" is:

Donkey & Goat
Jared and Tracey Brandt in Berkeley, California
The Gallivanter Red Blend, $25



Donkey & Goat Winery is owned and operated by Jared and Tracey Brandt
in Berkeley, California. We make “natural wines” which is a term that covers both
the vineyard and the cellar. That is what distinguishes natural wine– the extension
of natural farming philosophies that drive the practices for sustainable,
natural & biodynamic farming into the cellar.
Different every year  depending on quality of the grapes, the blend tends to be a heavy percentage of Pinot Noir with Grenache and Mourvedre, Merlot and Syrah. Under 1000 cases made which makes this their greatest produced quantity for any wine.  The 2017 offers candied fruits with fresh strawberry and raspberry, pomegranate, naval orange, citrus oils, pine, leaves and Asian spice box. 

92 Points from Wine Spectator and #17 on Wine Spectator 2017 Top 100!
This red shows grace and depth. Black cherry, plum, mineral and smoke flavors mingle harmoniously over well-integrated tannins, while lively acidity keeps this focused. Not showy, but all the pieces fit together. Balanced, in the modern style. Drink now through 2025.

$16.99 at wine.com
*** $15.99 @MetroWines ***

Eva Luna 2016 Garda

Cabernet Suavignon & Csabernet Franc Blend

The decision was virtually unanimous! 
This blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc is spectacular! 

As a second generation producer in a region that her father Sergio Zenato put on the map, Nadia Zenato and her mother Carla Prospero created Evaluna out of a deep love but also deep knowledge of the area. Evaluna (Eve + Moon) evokes the passion and a long practice in the vineyard sites of Lake Garda by the Zenato family. Evaluna in name and intent endeavors to break the mold of what is considered possible in a land of diverse agricultural abundance.

Customers like that this wine would not only hold up to heavy flavors and cold weather foods but could also be chilled for a summer dinner. Eva Luna offers an opportunity to really taste the cabernet grape without the full throttle of a California bottle or the vegetal flavor, not always completely pleasant, this variety can show.  This wine is very flavorfull yet light.

Some of our BEST Participant comments:

"Full bodied but light."

"Not too overwhelming for a red."

"Yes! So MF good. Summer."

Most participants guessed price to be between 1$18 and $20 or higher. Eva Luna is $15.99 @MetroWines.

News Release: July 10, 2019

*** Save the Date: August 22nd ***

Ciao Asheville Presents
The Donati Family Vineyards Wine Tasting
from 5 to 6:30 @MetroWines



"As a young boy, Ron Donati grew up in South San Francisco, the son of a first generation Italian-American family.
One of his fondest memories was the sights and smells of his grandfather making wine in his basement.
Like most Italian immigrants, Albino Donati made his own wine for the family dinner table.
As an adult, Ron became a successful entrepreneur with a penchant for making quality products that were attainable to all,
not just a select few. This same passion serves as the foundation and guiding mission of Donati Family Vineyard today.
It is our goal to produce wines of exceptional quality regardless of budget."

The Invention of The Road Trip


https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-invention-of-the-
summer-road-trip-11561780860?mod=searchresults&page=1&pos=1
Henry Ford cranked up his Model T with his fellow "Vagabonds"
John Burroughs and Thomas Edison and took to the road.
Between 1914 and 1924, the threesome encouraged their countrymen
to fill up their gas tanks, gather canned food and hit the road.

>>>>> Flash forward 100 years!
Take a road trip with canned wine!

Underwood from Union Wine Co. in Oregon


Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Rose, Rose Bubbles and just plain Bubbles!

"We believe that the contents are more important than the container;
that good wine should be able to go anywhere. We love our wine,
we just don't drink it with our pinkies in the air."
A can, $5.99 @MetroWines, is about two glasses of wine. Drink responsibly!
(Concerned about the environment? Cans lighten the load, literally,
saving on packaging, waste and transportation costs.)

#Pinkies Down

‘Fresco with a Landscape’ from the Villa of the Papyri, ca. 40 B.C. 
PHOTO: MUSEO ARCHEOLOGICO NAZIONALE DI NAPOLI/GIORGIO ALBANO
In 79A.D., Vesuvius erupted destroying lives and the Roman town of Herculaneum.
But many buildings and a collection of scrolls were preserved. You can see these pieces of history,
"Buried by Vesuvius: Treasures from the Villa dei Papriri" from now until October 28th
at the J. Paul Getty Villa in Pacific Pailsades, California
https://www.wsj.com/articles/preserved-by-a-fiery-disaster-11561124834

Can't Go?
Order the Exhibition Book Here:
https://shop.getty.edu/products/the-library-of-the-
villa-dei-papiri-at-herculaneum-978-0892367993

Your Read it With Wine

Radici means ‘roots’ in Italian, which signifies Mastroberardino’s devotion
to safeguarding the indigenous varieties of ancient Irpinia. The grape Fiano was known
in antiquity as “apiana” as it was noticed that bees had a particular affinity for this vine.
A rare vine traditionally found near hazelnut orchards, Fiano d'Avellino appears to have adopted
some of these notes into its flavor profile. The label reproduces a detail from a painting by Micozzi,
which adorns the vaults of Mastroberardino's refined cellars. Straw-yellow in color with aromas
of pear, pineapple, acacia, toasted nut, honey and spring flowers. On the palate,
this wine has excellent acidity, yet fine smoothness, with a hint of toasted almond in the finish.

Wine Spectator: 90 Points
A refreshing, clean-cut white, with hints of chalk and saline creating a tangy underpinning
to the flavors of Asian pear, kiwifruit, Marcona almond and lime blossom.
Light- to medium-bodied, with a lingering finish. Drink now through 2022.

Wine Enthusiast: 90 Points
White spring flower, acacia and tropical fruit aromas. On the smooth, rounded palate,
tangy acidity and a mineral vein energize ripe yellow apple, juicy pear and a drop of honey.
A hint of toasted almond signals the close.

$21.99 at wine.com and $23.99 at Grapeswine. com in NY.
Altogether now: Shop LocalLY and Save!

$19.99 @MetroWines

Victor Hugo spent over a decade in exile on the Channel islands waiting out the reign of Napoleon III.
Here, Hugo completed some of his most famous works including "Les Miserables."
https://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/06/travel/victor-hugo-on-the-island-of-guernsey.html



So, in addition to writing, turns out Victor was a bit of a decorator as well. Word has it that Hugo spent 
the afternoons trawling antique dealers and junk shops for decor. Sort of early shabby chic.
The house is now open to the public. Sounds great. Can't go? Take the interest tour and...
Hugo lived on Guernsey off the coast of France. In all likelihood, Bordeaux was on the Hugo Table.

La Rame Bordeaux 2016, $19.99
Imported by Rosenthal Wine Merchants



 Vineyards for this red are at the base of the hillside vineyards of the estate
in the village of Sainte Croix du Mont and are composed of sand, limestone and clay.
A blend of Merlot (60%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (40%) from 30 year old vines.
Wine is fermented and aged in temperature-controlled vats. Bottled one year after harvest.

*** STAFF PICK: Emily ***

The purpose of setting our our staff picks is for you to find the palate closest to your own.
If you find it, and you trust them! you might feel more comfortable venturing into a new grape, country or style.
So, this week, Emily is up to bat. Emily is a sommelier with years of experience in wine work.

Cardedu Nuo Vermentino, $19.99



I chose this wine because I prefer wines that have a savory quality.
Cardedu Nuo Vermentino definitely has that savory bite
with hints of smoked pineapple,dried green herbs and sea salt.
I love pairing this wine with seafood risotto and other seafood dishes. 

Hailed for centuries as a Mediterranean vine-growing paradise, multiple cultures have ruled Sardinia.
Set in the middle of the Tyrrhenian Sea, the Phonoecians, Ancient Rome, and subsequently
the Byzantines, Arabs and Catalans have all staked a claim on the island at some point in history.
Along the way, these inhabitants transported many of their homeland’s prized vines
and today Sardinia’s varieties claim multiple origins. 

Vermentino, a prolific Mediterranean variety, is the island’s star white.
Vermentino grows in Languedoc region of France (Rolle) as well as Italy’s western and coastal regions,
Liguria (where it is called Pigato), Piedmont (where it is called Favorita)
and in Tuscany, where it goes by the name, Vermentino.
But many, including Emily, say the best Vermentino, grows in Sardinia's northeastern region of Gallura
where its vines struggle to dig roots deep down into north-facing slopes of granitic soils.
These Vermentino vines produce highly aromatic, full and concentrated whites of unparalleled balance.

John Kerr of The Asheville School of Wine
for Capital at Play: Pair Like a Pro
A Quick Guide to Making it Work!
https://www.capitalatplay.com/the-wine-column-pair-like-a-pro/

MWC Pinot Noir 2017, Victoria, Australia


Sourced from vineyards in the premium wine regions of Victoria, this medium bodied wine
has intensive aromas of plum, cherry and strawberry fruit with hints of spicy oak.
The fresh fruit momentum continues on the palate with vibrant plum and dark stone fruits
finishing with some firm acid, beautiful tannins and integrated oak.

Andy Hale, Director of The Asheville School of Wine, says he was prepared to dislike it. 
"I was ready to go full on Simon Cowell on it. 
I really did not think it was possible to get a decent Pinot Noir under $15.00.
By decent, I mean somewhat varietally correct without being secretly doped up with Petit Sirah.
MWC has good tart cherry cola and violets.  MWC has done well in blind tastings." 
(Lettie, you would love this one!)

Not widely distributed in the U.S. $17.99 at Vivino

*** $14.99 @MetroWines ***

‘Asheville’ (1948), by Willem de Kooning PHOTO: THE PHILLIPS COLLECTION/
THE WILLEM DE KOONING FOUNDATION / ARTISTS RIGHTS SOCIETY (ARS), NEW YORK

"Asheville" by Willem de Kooning, 1948
https://www.wsj.com/articles/painting-with-a-bebop-spirit-11561144149 

Article by Harry Cooper, senior curator and head of modern art at National Gallery of Art in Washington.
He came across this pairing when he was also "smitten" with other works at The Phillips Collection
including"The Open Window by Pierre Bonnard
and "Entrance to the Public Gardens in Arles" by Vincent Van Gogh.
"Asheville" is:  White and tan preside over a mouthwatering assortment of sorbet colors:
pistachio, lemon raspberry, cotton candy. 

Perfect for Rose'
La Rame Bordeaux Rose 2018, $14.99



The grapes are sourced from small parcels of younger vines (20 years of age as of 2011)
on the flanks of a hill that descends towards the Garonne River in the village of Sainte Croix du Mont.
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (80%) and Merlot (20%),
Aromas and palate of strawberries and raspberries, the red fruit mingles with prominent flavors
of grapefruit, white peach and yogurt. The fruit is balanced by bracing acidity
that accentuates the fruit but the tannin keeps everything in balance.


(A young Gina Lollobrigida. She just turned 92!)
La Rame is French but don't forget "Aperitivi"

** An Italian Cocktail Party **

Italian Rose' Tasting Event sponsored by Ciao Asheville.
Closing in. Reserve now. Space is limited.
Call (828) 575-9525 or online: https://metrowinesasheville.com/store/product/italian-rose-tasting/

Garnacha Salvage del Mancayo



In the glass, intense and beautiful dark cherry color, with purple reflections.
Clean and quite bright. The nose offers an aromatic, varietally correct intensity.
Swirl! When it opens up, intense and fleshy notes of ripe red fruit are released, wrapped in mellow creamy aromas nuanced by some intense toasted hints and a subtle background of forest herbs.The palate presents lots of fruit. It shows a soft and silky mid palate with a balanced notes of fruit and wood. Hints of violets and mineral notes that turn into a mellow wine. Good acidity and polished tannins. Not widely distributed in the US. $13.99.

Hoopla 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon is not new to the shop. We featured the bottle months ago when it first arrived. But since then, the bottle has proved to be a best seller so we thought we would mention it to you again. 


This serious wine has aromas of dark and ripe fruit with flavors of dark chocolate and currant, making it a pleasure for any occasion. Internet sellers, for the most part, have confused Hoopla Cabernet Sauvignon with the red blend called "The Mutt." We also carry The Mutt and it is also a great wine but, for purposes of comparison here, we are looking to the 100% Cabernet Sauvignon.
Vivino says $24.99
We say $21 @MetroWines!

*** Big RED of the Week ***
Robert Hall 2015  Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles


The intense dark ruby red color of the Cabernet Sauvignon is reflective
of this full-bodied, flavorful wine. The core of black currant and hints of cedar and spice along with cocoa aromas echoed by rich persistent flavors of plush ripe fruit, dark chocolate and anise are all supported by balanced rich velvety tannins.

Established in 1983, Paso Robles AVA is a diverse appellation located halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles, along the California Central Coast. Paso Robles has 45 different soil types with varied elevations and climates leading to 11 sub-AVAs. Hot days end with coastal breezes that flow over the Santa Lucia Mountain Range to cool the vineyards in the evenings, delivering near perfect growing conditions that allow grapes to reach optimal maturity, yielding full bodied-- intense color wines with incredible phenolic structure.

Robert Hall Winery straddles the Estrella and Geneseo Districts on the East side of Paso Robles. Embracing the diverse Paso Robles terroir, Robert Hall sources fruit from every district in the AVA ensuring the highest quality and producing wines that are truly The Essence of Paso Robles.

$19.99 at Paul's in DC and $20.99 at wine.com

$18.99 @MetroWines!